Title: Altitude Baking of Cakes and Cookies
Categories: Info Cake Cookie
Yield: 1 Info file

CAKE RECIPE ADJUSTMENTS

For cakes, quick breads, cookies, bar cookies and brownies, increase the oven temperature 15 to 25 degrees F (always start with smaller increase first). Some chocolate or delicate cakes might burn. High temperatures help to set the batter before the cells formed by leavening gases can expand too much. Because you're cooking at a higher temperature, you'll want to decrease the oven baking time. Do not assume, however, that your sea level recipe will fail. Try it first. It may need little or no modification.

Most cake recipes perfected at sea level need no modification up to an altitude of 3,000 feet. Above that, decreased atmospheric pressure may result in excessive rising, making the texture coarse or causing the cake to fall. See accompanying chart for ingredient adjustment. Accurate measurements are especially important at 3,000 feet and above. In making rich cakes at high altitudes it is sometimes necessary to reduce shortening by 1 to 2 tablespoons. Fats, like sugar, waken cell structure. Increasing the amount of egg strengthens the cell structure and may prevent the cake from falling. For angel and sponge cakes, avoid beating too much air into the eggs. Beat the egg whites until they form peaks that fall over -- not until stiff and dry, which would cause the cells to collapse. Strengthen cell structure by using less sugar, more flour and a higher baking temperature. Most cake mix boxes provide instructions for high altitude adjustments. Follow the suggestions. Because the amount of leavening cannot be reduced in a cake mix, adjustments usually include adding more flour, liquid or egg yolk.

CAKE RECIPE ADJUSTMENTS Adjustments 3,000ft 5,000ft

Baking powder; for each tsp, decrease 1/8 tsp 1/8-1/4 tsp

Sugar; for each cup, decrease 0-1 tbsp 0-2 tbsp

Liquid; for each cup, add 1-2 tbsp 2-4 tbsp

COOKIES: Although many sea level cookie recipes yield acceptable results at high altitudes, they often can be improved by a slight increase in baking temperature; a slight decrease in baking powder or baking soda, fat and sugar; and/or a slight increase in liquid ingredients and flour. The best advice is to make the cookie as the recipe recommends first, then experiment to get the best results.

Source: Oregon State University Extension Service; as published in the Oregonian FoodDay; typos by Dorothy Flatman 1997

From: Dorothy Flatman Date: 08-30-97 (12:16) The Pine Tree Bbs (222) Cooking(F)

previous

next